Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
Perhaps this is the turning point of the times.
Just as the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was publicly executed in Loguetown of the East Blue, his final words sparked chaos across the world and ushered in the Great Pirate Era!
Now, in the nineteenth year of the Great Pirate Era, Portgas D. Ace, the son of the Pirate King—a man whose bloodline alone is enough to shake the world—has entered the Grand Line. It is the year 1519 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
Perhaps it is his inherited will or the luck carried in his bloodline, but Ace's journey as a pirate was marked by natural fortune. Starting his career in the East Blue, known as the weakest of the seas, it took him less than a month to form the Spade Pirates. Soon after, Ace obtained the powerful Mera-Mera Fruit, one of the top-tier Logia Devil Fruits.
With his new abilities, the Spade Pirates burst into the Grand Line like an unstoppable storm, quickly rising to prominence as this year's strongest supernova among pirates from all four seas.
When Vice Admiral Garp first read the news, his reaction was both predictable and furious. Gritting his teeth, he bellowed, "That idiot! He's actually becoming a pirate!"
In just a few months, Ace's reputation soared. With his mastery of the Mera-Mera Fruit and his natural charisma, the Spade Pirates quickly gained attention across the seas. Ace's exploits earned him the title of "Fire Fist" and cemented his status as the strongest newcomer of the era.
He not only broke through the Marine's conscription-era defenses but also pulled off a monumental feat: defeating a Warlord of the Sea.
The event that caused the greatest stir was the clash between the Spade Pirates and the Black Peach Pirates, led by Stella, the Warlord wielding the powers of the Swamp-Swamp Fruit. In the end, Ace's Mera-Mera Fruit powers overwhelmed Stella, exposing the Warlord's many scandals. The incident was reported in newspapers worldwide, propelling Ace's name to new heights of fame.
Marineford, Naval Headquarters
— Creak.
The door to Vice Admiral Garp's office swung open with a sharp noise.
"Garp!"
The furious voice of Fleet Admiral Sengoku boomed from the doorway.
At his desk, Garp, who had been happily munching on a large basket of senbei, froze momentarily. He turned slowly, already dreading what was about to happen. His thoughts flickered to his recent "borrowing" of Sengoku's senbei stash and whether he'd finally been caught.
Sengoku's expression was thunderous as he stormed into the room, slamming a thick stack of documents onto Garp's desk.
"Look at what your grandson has done!" Sengoku roared.
Garp took a moment, then burst into laughter. "Bwahaha! Ace again, huh?"
"You're laughing?!" Sengoku bellowed, his frustration mounting. "This is your grandson! A talented young man like him, and he's turned into a pirate! How could you let this happen? What kind of example did you set for him?!"
Garp shrugged, grinning cheekily, even as Sengoku's angry lecture continued. Deep down, he was proud of Ace's achievements, though he'd never admit it to Sengoku.
It wasn't just the fact that Garp's grandson had become a pirate—there were far-reaching consequences behind it.
The grandson of Marine's greatest hero turning pirate could be used by opportunists to undermine the institution of justice. It wasn't just a personal embarrassment; it was a potential political disaster.
Garp, however, seemed completely unconcerned. Picking his nose lazily, he grumbled, "It's not my fault. You lot keep me stuck at headquarters every day with no time for a proper vacation. How was I supposed to find time to educate my grandson?"
Sengoku's face darkened, but his anger seemed to deflate. He couldn't entirely argue with Garp's complaint, so he instead thrust the newspaper at him.
"Here, read this! Maybe then you'll take this seriously!"
Outside the office, Garp's loyal adjutant, Bogart, stood stoically, showing no reaction to the commotion within. He had long grown used to the shouting matches between Garp and Sengoku.
Garp reached for the newspaper, scanned the headlines, and then burst into laughter. "Ace defeated that Stella? Hah! That's my grandson for you! I knew he had it in him!"
"Garp!" Sengoku roared. "I am not asking you to be proud! Do you even understand the gravity of this situation?!"
He sighed heavily, his voice deepening. "Don't play dumb. You know what this means. Stella wasn't just any pirate—he was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, a title sanctioned by the World Government!"
The Seven Warlords were already considered the weakest of the three great powers that stabilized the world. For one of them to be so thoroughly defeated by a rookie pirate—especially one who had only been active for less than half a year—cast doubt on the government's judgment.
To make matters worse, Stella's defeat had led to a cascade of scandals being exposed in the news, further tarnishing the Warlord system's reputation.
Garp shrugged, looking unimpressed. "The World Government's always been bad at handling things. This is nothing new."
Sengoku pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "It's not just nothing, Garp. The government has already acted—they've sent troops to capture Stella and escort him to Impel Down. But this situation... it's a mess."
The Fleet Admiral shot a sharp look at Garp. "First, it was your son, Dragon, and now your grandson, Ace. The trouble you've brought me, Garp—do you have any idea?"
Garp chuckled nervously, scratching his head. "...You're not seriously asking me to hunt him down, are you?"
Sengoku's expression turned cold and calculating. "It's not about hunting him down. The government sees Ace as a perfect candidate to fill the vacancy left by Stella. They want to make him the next Warlord of the Sea. And you're going to handle it."
"Warlord?" Garp echoed, his brows furrowing in a mix of confusion and disbelief. "Ace isn't the type to listen to orders."
'He's too much like his father. There's no way he'd agree to that!'
Sengoku's sharp gaze caught Garp's hesitation. The old Vice Admiral's tone carried a hint of something deeper—something personal—but Sengoku chose not to press further. Everyone had secrets they held close, even Garp.
Instead, Sengoku's voice hardened with authority as he slapped the desk. "I don't care how you do it, Garp. This is your responsibility! Didn't you always complain about not having time to visit your grandson? Well, here's your chance. Fix this!"
Garp let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Tch. What a pain... But even if I see Ace, there's no way I can convince him to take that position."
"The next World Summit is coming up," Sengoku said seriously. "If Ace accepts, it'll help restore the credibility of the Warlord system. It's also a way to protect him. He's your grandson, Garp. If he won't become a Marine, this is the best way to keep him safe."